CastBuddy
Help center

Cast a video without the guesswork.

Start with the four-step guide, or jump directly to the problem you’re seeing.

Start here

Cast your first video

  1. Install and pin CastBuddy

    Install CastBuddy from the Chrome Web Store. Pin it from Chrome’s Extensions menu so it stays visible.

  2. Open a page containing a video

    Start playback on the page if needed. The badge on the CastBuddy icon shows how many direct media URLs were discovered.

  3. Open the side panel

    Click the CastBuddy toolbar icon. Review the discovered videos, or select Rescan if the page loaded the video after the initial scan.

  4. Choose Cast, then select your TV

    Chrome opens its device picker. Choose a Cast-enabled TV, Chromecast, Google TV, or compatible display on the same network.

Want a known-good test? Use the CastBuddy test videos. These sources are public HTTPS MP4 files that were checked for direct access.

Important concept

The TV loads the video directly

CastBuddy sends a media URL to your Cast device. Your TV—not the browser tab—then downloads and plays that URL. This gives better quality and lets playback continue without mirroring your screen.

1CastBuddy finds a media URL
2Chrome connects to the receiver
3The TV downloads the video
A video can play in Chrome but fail on the TV. This happens when the URL needs browser cookies, has expired, blocks the TV with HTTP 403, is a temporary blob: URL, uses DRM, or contains unsupported codecs.

Side panel

Understand your video list

Discovered

Direct media URLs found on the current browser page. Use Rescan after starting a video or changing episodes.

Saved

Videos kept in your local CastBuddy library. Saving the URL does not preserve access if the source later expires or becomes private.

Add

Paste a direct media URL manually. A page URL containing a video is not the same as the video file URL.

Format badges

MP4 · Ready means the container is commonly supported—not that the host, codecs, or permissions have been verified.

While casting

Use the bottom player

After the receiver confirms that media is active, a compact player appears at the bottom of the side panel.

  • Play / PauseControls playback on the Cast device.
  • Back / Forward 10 secondsMakes quick position adjustments.
  • Progress barSelect a position to seek through on-demand video.
  • Mute / VolumeChanges the Cast device’s media volume.
  • StopStops playback and ends the active Cast session.

The player stays hidden while Chrome is only connected to a receiver with no active media.

Before you cast

Video compatibility checklist

SourceWhat to expect
HTTPS MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audioBest-supported option across Cast devices.
WebMMay work depending on the device and codecs used.
HLS / M3U8Requires valid manifests, segments, and CORS/range configuration.
Login-only or expiring URLUsually fails because the TV does not share Chrome’s cookies.
DRM, encrypted, or blob: URLNot directly castable without site-specific receiver support.

Fix a problem

Troubleshooting

The TV shows CastBuddy, but the video never starts

The Cast device launched, so device discovery worked. The failure is usually the media URL or codec. If playback does not begin within 20 seconds, CastBuddy stops the attempt and shows an error instead of continuing to spin.

  1. Try a CastBuddy test video. If it works, the original media source is the problem.
  2. Open the exact media URL in a private/incognito window. A login page, access-denied XML, or HTTP 403 means the TV cannot fetch it.
  3. Prefer HTTPS MP4 encoded with H.264/AVC video and AAC audio.
  4. Avoid temporary URLs, browser-only blob: URLs, DRM streams, and sources that require cookies or request headers.
No Cast devices appear
  • Confirm Chrome and the Cast device are on the same Wi-Fi/network.
  • Disable VPNs or guest-network isolation temporarily.
  • Check whether Chrome can see the device from its built-in Cast menu.
  • Restart Chrome and the Cast device if discovery remains unavailable.
CastBuddy finds no videos
  • Start playback on the webpage, then select Rescan.
  • Reload the video webpage after installing or updating CastBuddy.
  • Try Add if you already have a direct media URL.
  • Protected services often hide or encrypt streams; CastBuddy cannot bypass DRM or access controls.
The side panel is blank, slow, or the wrong height
  • Close and reopen the side panel.
  • In Chrome’s Extensions menu, turn CastBuddy off and back on, then reload the webpage you want to scan.
  • Use Open full app if the side panel still does not load correctly.
The bottom player does not appear

The player appears only after the receiver reports active media. If the TV remains on the CastBuddy logo, troubleshoot the media URL first. Closing and reopening the panel will restore controls for a healthy active session.

Still stuck?

Report a useful problem

Before reporting an issue, test one video from the sample page. Then include:

  • Whether the CastBuddy sample video works
  • Chrome version and operating system
  • Cast device model
  • CastBuddy version shown in the app
  • The exact visible error message
  • A public, non-sensitive media URL when possible
Protect your privacy. Do not share account cookies, signed private URLs, authentication tokens, private browsing history, or personal media.